1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to barbecue forks and more particularly pertains to a new barbeque fork for lifting and turning food items on a grill.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of barbecue forks is known in the prior art. More specifically, barbecue forks heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,896,668; U.S. Pat. No. 3,162,475; U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,751; U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,284; U.S. Pat. No. 2,539,849; U.S. Pat. No. 1,202,120; and U.S. Des. Pat. No. 148,430.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new barbeque fork. The inventive device includes a first tine and a second tine. Each of the tines has a first end, a second, a top side, a bottom side, an inner side edge and an outer side edge. The inner side edges and outer side edges tapering from the first end to the second end such that the second ends are pointed. A plate has a top surface, a bottom surface, a front edge, a first side edge and a second side edge. Each of the first ends of the tines is integrally coupled to the front edge of the plate such that the tines extend in a generally parallel direction with respect to each other. A shank has a first end integrally coupled to the back edge of the plate such that the shank extends away from the plate. A third tine has a first end, a second end, and a pair of side edges tapering toward each other from the first end to the second end. The first end of the third tine is integrally coupled to the outer edge of the first tine and located generally adjacent to the plate.
In these respects, the barbeque fork according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of lifting and turning food items on a grill.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of barbecue forks now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new barbeque fork construction wherein the same can be utilized for lifting and turning food items on a grill.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new barbeque fork apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the barbecue forks mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new barbeque fork which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art barbecue forks, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a first tine and a second tine. Each of the tines has a first end, a second, a top side, a bottom side, an inner side edge and an outer side edge. The inner side edges and outer side edges tapering from the first end to the second end such that the second ends are pointed. A plate has a top surface, a bottom surface, a front edge, a first side edge and a second side edge. Each of the first ends of the tines is integrally coupled to the front edge of the plate such that the tines extend in a generally parallel direction with respect to each other. A shank has a first end integrally coupled to the back edge of the plate such that the shank extends away from the plate. A third tine has a first end, a second end, and a pair of side edges tapering toward each other from the first end to the second end. The first end of the third tine is integrally coupled to the outer edge of the first tine and located generally adjacent to the plate.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new barbeque fork apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the barbecue forks mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new barbeque fork which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art barbecue forks, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new barbeque fork which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new barbeque fork which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new barbeque fork which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such barbeque fork economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new barbeque fork which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new barbeque fork for lifting and turning food items on a grill.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new barbeque fork which includes a first tine and a second tine. Each of the tines has a first end, a second, a top side, a bottom side, an inner side edge and an outer side edge. The inner side edges and outer side edges tapering from the first end to the second end such that the second ends are pointed. A plate has a top surface, a bottom surface, a front edge, a first side edge and a second side edge. Each of the first ends of the tines is integrally coupled to the front edge of the plate such that the tines extend in a generally parallel direction with respect to each other. A shank has a first end integrally coupled to the back edge of the plate such that the shank extends away from the plate. A third tine has a first end, a second end, and a pair of side edges tapering toward each other from the first end to the second end. The first end of the third tine is integrally coupled to the outer edge of the first tine and located generally adjacent to the plate.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new barbeque fork that has a pair of conventional forward directed tines and a pair of lateral tines for turning food over.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.